Narrow-fabric loom.



Patented Dec. I9, |899.

L Dn E E T S A O. 6. 2 6 ou 3 6 0. .h

NARROW FABRIC LOOM.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

12 Sheets-Sheet I.

( No Modelff .21N VIZYZ'.'

THE Noms PrrERs co, PHuTaUTHo.. wAsmNuToNfmc.

No. 639,626. Patented Dec. I9, i899. 0. A. STEERE.

NARROW FABRIC LDDM.

!Applicati0n filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

rNo Model.)

WITNIEEIS.'

-me Nonma PETERS Co.. Num-LITRO., WASHINGTON. oA c.

Nrrmo STATES ATENT Finca.

OSCAR A. STEERE, OF PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOPE WEBBING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

NARROW-FABRIC Loolvl.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent N o. 639,626, dated December 19, 1899.

Application filed November 14, 1898. Serial No. 696,341. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR A. STEERE, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Narrow- Fabric Looms; and Ihereby declare that-the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Positive-motion narrow-fabric looms are usually of very great length and require substantial overhead frames to support and operate the series of harnesses for forming the warp-sheds. Usually an arched frame extends the whole length of the loom, being supported on the frames at the opposite ends of thelongloom. Suchoverheadframesrequire to be substantial and rigid to support the harnesses and operate them equally throughout their whole length, subjected, as they are, to the constant vibration of the running loom. These overhead work or arched frames greatly obstruct the light, and in narrow-fabric looms constructed to weave two or more sets of narrow fabric, one set above the oth er, the supervision over the increased number of fabrics and the increased series of warp-sheds requires better light and a more unobstructed View over the whole loom, so that any defects in the wax-ps, such as the breaking of warpthreads, may be more readily seen by the attendant and remedied.

The invention relates to positive-motion narrow-fabric looms adapted to weave two or more series of narrow fabric one above the other.

One object of the invention is to secure an unobstructed view over all the warp in the loom; and another object of the invention is to secure more ready access to the cams operating the harnesses.

The invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the harness operating and supporting mechanism, whereby an unobstructed view of the warp in the loom is secured, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional View of the upper part of a two-set narrowfabric loom, showing the slides in which the ends of the harnesses are guided. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view of the loom, showing the manner of supporting and operating the harnesses. Fig. .3 is an enlarged view showing the connection with the harnesses. Fig L.tis atransverse view showing four bell-crank le vers supporting four harnesses.

Similar marks of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, a a indicate two warpbeams, l) b the warp-threads for two sets of narrow fabric, one above the other, and c c the harnesses for controlling the warp to form the sheds for the two sets of fabrics. As this class of narrow-fabric looms isvery long, the harness-frames are divided into sections by vertical rods secured to the upper and lower bars of the frame.

d are the guides in which the ends of the harness-frames slide up and down. These guides cl are supported by the brackets d from the inside of the end frames, as is shown in Fig. 2. e is the lay, andfthe end frames, of the loom.

The harness-frames c are connected by means of a screw having a flat perforated head with the lifter-bars g at three or more points, and the lifter-bars are pivotally connected to the posts g', and these posts are secured by a clamp-screw tothe horizontal arm of the bell-crank levers h, whereby the same may be accurately adjusted, so as to move all parts of the harness-frames and support the same equally in all positions. The bell-crank levers h are journaled on the shaft h, supported on the frames h2. The Vertical arms of the bell-crank levers h h are pivotally connected with the rods h3, the ends h4 of which are each connected with the levers t', pivotally supported at their upperends ina bracket secured to the end frame fand provided at their lower ends with a series of hooks t". When connected with the lower hook t', the movement of the rod h3 is slower than when the saine is connected with the upper of the series of hooks t" of the lever t'. The levers t' are each provided with a stud which eX- tends into the cam-slot k on the cam-disk 7c. Each harness-frame is connected with three or more of the bell-crank levers h, and each harness-frame is operated by a sepayIoo rate rod 7b3, a separate lever z', and a separate cani-disk k. The number ot' cam-disks equal to the number of harness-frames used inthe loom are secured to the shaft 7a2 in the positions required to move the several harnessframes at the predetermined time. The canislot 7c' is formed, as shown in Fig. 2, to operate the harness-frame connected therewith four times for each revolution of the camdisk 7a.

To secure the accurate movement of the bell-crank levers h, they are provided with the annular rings Z, the faces of which are finished and form a bearing on the ring of the adjacent bell-crank lever, thereby holding the arms of the levers in the required position, allowing the bell-crank levers connected with different warp-frames to move independent of the adjacent levers and in a true vertical plane.

The weight of each harness-frame is connterbalanced or nearly counterbalanoed by the weight h5, adj ustably secured to the extension h of the horizontal arms of the bell-crank levers h, and in the preferred form I do so counterbalance the weight of the harnessframes, and thereby reduce the friction on the cams.

By this construction the arched frames or upper works formerly used on this class of looms are removed, the upper part of the loom is cleared of all obstructions, the light from the side or top windows falls directly on the warp, and the attendant has a clear View over the whole of the loom and all parts of the warp and warp-shed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a narrow-fabric loom, in combination, harness-frames, vertical guides for the harness-frames, bell-crank levers pivotally supported below each of the harness-frames, connections between the bell-crank levers and the harness-frames, counterweights adjustably secured to the bell-crank levers, and means, substantially as described, for operating the bell-crank levers to raise and lower the harnesses, whereby the weight of each harness-frame and the varying weight of the warp may be counterbalanced, as described.

2. In a loom, in combination, harnessframes sliding in vertical guides, two or more bell-crank levers pivotally supported below each harness-frame, said bell-crank levers consisting of a horizontal arm extending on each side from the pivotal support in the vertical plane of the harness-frames and an arm extending vertically from the pivotal support, connections between one end of the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers and the harnessframe, counterweights adj ustably secured to the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers, connections between the ends of the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers, and means, comprising grooved cam-disks, for operating the bell-crank levers to raise and lower the harness-frames, as described.

8. In anarrow-fabric loom, the combination with the series of harness-frames sliding in vertical grooves and operated from below, of frames forming the support of a shaft extending transversely to the length of the loom, a series of bell-crank levers, a connterweight adj ustably secured to one of the horizontal arms of the bell-crank lever, a post adjustably secured to the other horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever, and connections between the post and the harness-frame; whereby the movement imparted to the lower end of the vertical arm of each bell-crank lever is transmitted to the harness-frame, connected with the horizontal arm of the actuated bell-crank lever, from below and the weight of each harness is counter-balanced, as described.

4. In a narrow-fabric loom, the combination with the series of harness-frames sliding in vertical guides, cams located at one end ot' the loom, levers engaging with the cams, frames secured to the floor below the harnessframes and shafts supported in the said frames at right angle to the harness-frames, of the bell-crank lever h, the counterweight h5 adj ustably secured to the extension h, the annular rings Z on each bell-crank lever controlling the path of movement of each lever, and connections between the bell-crank lever and the harness-frames and between the operating-cams at one end of the loom and the series of bell-crank levers; whereby the harness-frames throughout their whole lengths are moved in vertical planes from below, as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

OSCAR A. STEERE.

Witnesses:

B. M. SIMMs, J. A. MILLER, J r. 

